Heart and Determination
by EverythingIsMagic
Summary: A collection of stories featuring Higurashi Kagome: the love, the devotion, the growth, the power, and the strength of this most extraordinary lead female. Canon Pairings -Second Story- 'Slip in Time-
1. Reflections

**Author's Notes:** This is my first piece for my Kagome claim at InuYasha no Kakera (link in lj.) The themes used for this one were 'report' and 'future.' This will be housing all the pieces I'm doing with the Kagome claim.

**Reflection**

A One-Shot by Kelly O'Connor

* * *

"A report?" Kagome questioned as she slung the oft-used yellow backpack over her shoulder.

"Mhmm," Ayumi confirmed. "It's worth a lot of credit Kagome-chan so you'll have to do well on it if you want to pass with all those sick days."

Sighing in exasperation, she gave her wavy haired friend a slightly irritated look. "What kind of essay Ayumi-chan?"

"Actually, it should be really interesting for you."

"Eh?"

"It's a reflection paper," Ayumi explained.

Opening the door to exit the school, Kagome shielded her eyes from the onslaught of late afternoon sunlight. "What's that?"

"Well it's…" the other schoolgirl paused and placed her finger below her lips in thought, "Since this is our last year of junior high, Yukari-sensei wants us to do a report reflecting on it so far."

"Oh…" Kagome mused, wondering exactly how she would skirt around her most unusual fifteenth year.

"And we have to write about our aspirations for the future," Ayumi continued, "I mean except for getting into a good high school of course."

This year and… my future? Kagome brushed away a piece of hair the wind had blown across her face. _Ooh, what I am I supposed to write? 'I've spent most of this year in sengoku jidai battling youkai and attempting to gather the shards of a magical jewel.' Oh and in the future I… I…_

"What do I want for my future?"

"What Kagome-chan?" Ayumi glanced over to her, confused and concerned.

"Huh?" _Oh… I said that out loud._

"Are you all right?" She paused in walking.

Flashing one of her signature smiles, Kagome waved her hands in front of her. "I'm fine Ayumi-chan. I was just thinking about the assignment."

Nodding in reluctant resignation, Ayumi gave her a sideways look. "If that's what you say… Kagome-chan."

* * *

_My last year of junior high school has, so far been the most overwhelming time of my life._

Kagome crossed out the kana and grumbled to herself in frustration. _Should I just lie? Talk about how I've been 'sick?' Well… I have to don't I? Not only would they not believe the truth, but also they can't know I haven't even been ill._

Leaning back in her chair, the teenage girl stared absently at the ceiling. _If I get this report done tonight, I can turn it in early tomorrow and go back. InuYasha will probably come through the well soon anyway, he always does._

Pumping her fist into the palm of her hand, Kagome's eyes narrowed in determination. "Right."

The pencil went to the paper again.

_Even though my health has been poor this year I still think it has been a good experience._

"No, no, that sounds fake." She rubbed her forehead. _And what of the future part? Get into a good high school, defeat Naraku. Well… I can't put that._

"Neechan!" A familiar voice cut into her thoughts.

"Souta?" Kagome gazed over to the young boy who'd slipped into her bedroom.

"Are you busy?" He inquired and made a comfortable place on his sister's bed.

_I should be…_

"Not really, why?" Her reply spoke otherwise.

"I wanted to show you what I did in school today," the boy elucidated with a proud grin.

"Eh?"

Souta and Kagome maintained a close positive relationship with each other, but rarely was Kagome endowed with information about his school activities. Perhaps because Souta felt it may have been a touchy issue to bring up considering Kagome's current circumstances, or perhaps because those circumstances gave them much more interesting things to discuss.

"It's a picture, I drew a picture."

Scooting the chair out and standing up, Kagome walked over to sit down on the bed next to him.

"We were supposed to do something with someone close to us that isn't a relative."

Souta reached into his pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper. "Most everyone else did stuff with their best friend or a pet."

Unfurling the paper, he handed it to Kagome. "But I chose Inu-no-niichan, so I thought you'd want to see it."

The teenage girl's face cracked a smile as she surveyed the elementary art that had been displayed to her.

Souta was no brilliant artist, the crude figures just average for a nine-year-old. However, to who was in the know, Kagome, she understood what was going on.

The boy clung to the Hanyou's back in a manner that, to anyone else would look like merely a piggyback ride. Kagome knew better though, for she experienced soaring through the trees with him on a day to day basis.

"This is really nice Souta," curiosity piqued, "What… did you tell them?"

"Huh?" He blinked, "Oh yeah. I told the class that this was my sister's boyfriend…"

"SOUTA!" She flushed crimson.

He gave her a mischievous grin. "Well it's true isn't it?"

"It… doesn't matter! What else did you tell them?"

"Fine, fine Neechan." He paused, "I told them that I didn't get to see him as often as I wished, but he's almost a big brother to me."

"Oh…"

"And that he can be selfish sometimes and kind of weird, but he's still really cool and cares about us a lot."

Kagome found herself letting out a short laugh. "That's all very true. Umm, was it hard not mentioning anything odd? Like about the fact that he's a Hanyou from sengoku jidai?"

Nonplussed, Souta shook his head. "No, why would I mention that stuff anyway? I just talked about what he means to me. That's what I was supposed to do."

Realization dawned on the teenage girl and the paper slid out of her hands. Catching it and berating herself for dropping it, Kagome smiled. "Thanks Souta!" she exclaimed and slipped the artwork back into his hands.

"Uhh… no problem, thanks too Neechan!" Souta stood up and waved as he left the room.

Quickly marching back to her desk, Kagome sat down and took the pencil up once again.

_Just talk about what this year has meant to you… Kagome. The specifics aren't important. These people would mean the same to me even if I hadn't met them five hundred years in the past. All that matters is… who they are._

* * *

_I don't think anything could have prepared me for everything that has occurred in my life this year. To some it may seem strange, even unbelievable. What has been going on since the day of my fifteenth birthday has been mysterious to most, but to me it has been the most precious gift I have ever received. _

This gift has come in many forms. The first being a young man I met on said fifteenth birthday. He is both obnoxious and pleasant, insecure and courageous, reckless and protective, vocal and shy. But most of all, Inuyasha has become the most important person in my life.

I love him, undoubtedly. However, I feel that the feelings I have for him are beyond just romantic. It would seem odd to say this, but to me Inuyasha and I have been through a lot of 'tests' in our relationship. We still have problems, and there are still barriers that keep us apart at times. Nevertheless, I think that we have overcome every obstacle put before us.

I trust him, and he trusts me. We've learned that there's little more important.

I've made other friends, and they are dear to my heart. I feel camaraderie with them that I treasure.

There is a young boy, who I take care of. Inuyasha pretends he can't stand him sometimes, but we both care deeply for him and appreciate his presence.

There's a man, a few years older than both Inuyasha and I. He infuriated me when I first met him, but his patience and understanding has proven to be the grounds for a true friendship.

The last close friend I met was a girl who became my best friend and confidante. Her life has been calamitous at times, and due to that she has my heart's sympathy.

There is one other person I got to know this year. It's someone that I thought I knew well before, but discovered that there is far more to them than what I had assumed.

Myself.

Yes, that does sound bizarre. However, so many experiences have shaped me as a person since I met these people. I am the same girl as I was last year, but now I know her much better.

I know now that I can feel jealousy, but I can also overcome that and be the stronger for it. I know that I have much more inner strength than I ever thought I did and that surfaces at best when someone I hold dear is threatened. I know that I can love, more than just in the way I love my family and friends.

I know that sometimes life will lead you down the most unexpected paths, but that fate knows what it's doing, so I don't fear for the future because of that.

And as for my future? Beyond just passing my entrance exams and continuing schooling I can't give any definites as far as hopeful accomplishments.

My life has become so intertwined with the people I care for, that all my hopes for the future consist of them. My optimism that they'll achieve everything they seek to and that my relationships with them remain as they are now.

This may seem like an odd set of aspirations, but happiness lies in different places for different people.

And this is the place where mine rests.

* * *

End


	2. Slip in Time

**Title:** Slip in Time  
**Theme:** Destiny  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst/A bit weird  
**Pairing:** Kagome/InuYasha  
**Notes:** I'm considering turning this into a longer fic. (As in making a chapter fic with this concept.) If you read this and think that would be an interesting idea, let me know.

* * *

Kagome's arrow was nicked and her eyes were steely and battle hardened. Her mouth was tightened into a thin line and her hakama were stained with the blood of youkai.

Five years ago, this image of Kagome would have terrified the one who watched. He would have feared that someone had possessed his gentle and kind-hearted Kagome.

But he knew that was not the case.

The jewel had been used. Seeing how the job of guarding the shikon caused her great strain, InuYasha had snatched it from her grasp and selflessly wished himself human.

She'd been angry at him at first, saying over and over that she 'liked him as he was and didn't need to change.' Assuring him over and over that 'she was handling protecting the jewel just fine.'

But he knew better. He saw the burden the jewel had upon her life.

And now the war was only beginning, and this time the jewel had nothing to do with it.

Kagome knew what was going on. Since they did not live in the past InuYasha had an inkling of it as well. He'd seen 'movies' and heard stories of how his time of birth came to a bloody end.

The fall of the sengoku jidai.

InuYasha wanted Kagome to have no part in it. They'd make sure their friends were safe, but history was not something they could change and as such they would make no attempt.

_A Miko who came from another world played a part in the bloody wars. Traveling with her was one assumed to be her husband, an ordinary human boy. Fighting off the armies of youkai employed by Oda Nobunaga that history books have forgotten the existence of, she became a hero to those opposed to his military conquests. _

Kagome couldn't change history. However, she found out she was to be a part of it.

And she had no choice to go back and fulfill her role.

InuYasha wished with all his heart that she hadn't found that legend in the shrine, hadn't realized that she was the one who was to play this role, that this wasn't her destiny.

As she, with her now top notch precision Miko powers, fought, he wielded an ordinary blade. This was the only situation he regretted turning human in. When they were in her era, her home, it was of no consequence. Here though, during this ruthless war, he felt helpless to protect her.

But perhaps she didn't need to be protected anymore.

His Kagome was still the same woman he fell in love with. The cold eyes and harsh resolve were only an illusion put on for the battlefield.

He knew it would never change her.

_After years of heroics, the Miko disappeared with her companion. Presumably, they returned to the strange world they came from. _

Nonetheless, if he had not known the end of the story, he also realized that there was simply no way he would have let her go. _I know she lives, that we live…_

A deep sigh pulled InuYasha out of his thoughts and he sheathed his sword as Kagome approached him.

"You're getting good with that blade," she leaned up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"How much longer Kagome?" He inquired anxiously, wrapping his arms around her to reassure himself that she was still there.

She shook her head. "I'm not in the history books InuYasha… so I don't know."


End file.
